Wrestlers adapt to change
With the Emmaus wrestling season - and all high school winter sports - on pause until at least mid-January, the Hornets have already endured more than a season’s worth of changes.
Even before Gov. Wolf’s Dec. 10 direction to suspend all school sports through Jan. 4, the virus had an impact on the wrestling program’s preparations for the season.
“Covid has changed a lot this season,” said Emmaus head coach Thad Smith. “ First, as many as five high school wrestlers decided it was not worth wrestling this year and taking a chance on getting Covid, or worse, spreading it to family members.
To make matters more challenging, four of those five wrestlers started last season.
“They will be missed, but luckily we had some depth last season and those wrestlers decided that this could be their season,” Smith said.
Assuming the season does get underway in January, the idea that a delay could occur at some point did not surprise Smith.
“Covid delayed the start of the season and may delay the start of the matches,” said Smith just before the governor’s declaration.
The Emmaus program had taken several precautions. All coaches and wrestlers were required to wear masks at all times. This makes sense, of course, in theory, but in practicality it’s another matter.
“It is difficult,” the coach said in describing the mask wearing. “Wresting with a mask is just not fun.”
It was also not fun for Smith to lose so many younger wrestlers. The new recruits provide the foundation for the Hornets’ future. Smith’s staff spends considerable time with them in practice where they learn the fundamentals of becoming a wrestler. It was a different story this year.
“The weird thing this season is that there are no freshmen on the team,” Smith said.
The projected starting lineup at the time of the governor’s moratorium includes four-year starters Geo Lainez and Kordell Waiters. Sophomore Marco Albanese, junior Nick Velde, sophomore Evan Camire, junior Quinn Scott and junior Jack Brion are all expected or could start at various weight classes. All of them have started since their freshman years.
The Hornets’ first match is scheduled for Jan. 16 against Dieruff.